The Show Goes On
by eiahmon
Summary: This is my response to Wishing-Fire's AU Challenge, in which you take a KH character and write them an AU story using 100 prompts. Enjoy!
1. Smile

**Disclaimer. I only wish I owned, but Square and Disney might take offense to that.**

**This is Wishing-Fire's AU Challenge. I saw it, though it an intriguing idea, but I had no ideas for it until I listened to a certain song on Youtube, and BAM! this happened. I'm currently stalled on Heart to Heart, so I thought that something bite sized like this would work perfectly to get my imagination flowing again. So enjoy, and tell me what you think!**

**OOOOOO**

**1. Smile**

His smile unnerved people.

Even as a child, Braig was said to have a evil looking smile, and his older siblings whispered that his very first smile as an infant had sent shivers up their parents' spines. Neighbors talked quietly about the sinister way the Hickman's youngest child looked at people, as if he was contemplating the best way to go about engineering their demise.

That smile was upon his face as he eyed his latest prey, a cargo ship, traveling sedately through the Lanes Between, unaware of the danger sneaking up on it from astern. He turned to his crew and gave the order, shouting over the hum of the engines.

"Ready the grapple, and load the cannons!"

The crew scrambled to obey, and Captain "Slasher" Braig Hickman, the most feared gummi ship pirate in the known universe, turned back to look at their intended target, and his smile widened.

**OOOOOO**

**The word limit is going to be torture. I went two words over on this one, so yeah, it's gonna be tough.**


	2. Eternity

**2. Eternity**

Nine year old Braig sat slumped at his desk in the back of the classroom, paying scant attention to the teacher's lecture. His parents wished for him to finish school, get a good job, and raise a family, not that he gave a damn about their wants. As if! He cared only for himself, and he was counting the days until he turned sixteen, when he could leave this too perfect, too peaceful, too happy world behind. He sure as hell didn't want to rot here forever.

The teacher's voice droned on, and Braig nearly yawned from boredom. Boys were considered men at age sixteen on Radiant Garden, and his sixteenth birthday seemed like an eternity away. He slumped down further in his seat and mentally scratched another day off of his calendar. Only 2,143 days to go...

Why did time have to move so slow?


	3. Rivalry

**As you can see, the chapters is this fic won't be in chronological order. I'll jump around in Braig's life as I need, since my imagination is dictating which prompts go where, without giving me any say in it. **

**OOOOOO**

**3. Rivalry.**

There were many pirates out there. Many were under Braig's thumb, and he took a share in their catches. There was one, however, that made Braig's hand itch to draw his blade every time he saw him.

Xehanort controlled the Destiny Islands and the space around them, and he repeatedly invaded Braig's territory and made frequent snatch and grab runs. Some wanted to join him, some feared him. Braig simply wanted to slit the bastard's throat and take the Destiny Islands for his own.

Xehanort's orange eyed gaze landed on him as Braig slammed the doors to the fucker's posh study open and stormed in along with several members of his crew. The old man simply smiled at him, and Braig knew that his body only looked old and feeble, so he had to settle for furious demands to "Keep your goddamned ships out of my fucking territory!".


	4. Judgment

**4. Judgment**

The man on the platform looked coolly over the crowd, and then a corner of his mouth curled upward in a small sneer. Like everyone else, eleven year old Braig watched with morbid curiosity, though if he mother knew just where he was, and what he was watching, she would have grounded him for life. After all, children didn't belong at executions.

The condemned man with the noose around his neck continued to survey the crowd for a few more minutes, before he sniffed in disgust and turned away from them, as if they were no longer worth his time. Even as the lever was thrown, and the man dropped through the trap door, he kept that disgusted, disdainful look upon his face, and when he finally went still, Braig had the strongest feeling that it had been they that had been judged and found wanting.


	5. Laughter

**5. Laughter **

Nearby adults smiled at the sound of a child's happy laughter. The whispered to themselves about how young Braig Hickman seemed to be so happy today, as the boy in question ran by with the largest, most genuine smile they had ever seen on his face and laughter bubbling from his lips. The child had an infectious laugh, they said. He needed to laugh more often.

They wouldn't have been so approving if they had known the reason behind the laughter.

Braig ducked down in an alleyway behind the baker's shop, cackling to himself. It had been pathetically easy to lift the money purse from the pocket of that blond haired dolt. He would have a hard time explaining the loss of the purse to Lord Ansem; maybe the know it all prick would get booted from the castle for it!

The thought made Braig crack up again.

**OOOOOO**

**Take a guess as to who the blond haired dolt is. C'mon, take a guess.**


	6. Tiny

**6. Tiny**

The kid was small.

No, Braig told himself, he was fucking _tiny_. How could anybody be that small?

"How old are you, kid?" he asked him as he poked him in the side. The kid didn't say a word and simply curled up in a ball like those pill bugs that Braig had used to torment back in Radiant Garden. He poked him again. "Hey, you gonna answer me?"

The kid uncurled slightly, and one blue eye peered out from a mass of metallic blue bangs. "Six," he said shortly, and then he curled up again.

Braig would have preferred someone close to his own age, but being the only cabin boy on a large ship royally sucked, so he supposed beggars couldn't be choosers. Hopefully the kid would pull his – admittedly small – weight.

"What's your name?"

The kid looked at him. "Ienzo."


	7. If

**7. If**

If they attacked this ship, it could bring unwanted attention down on them.

If they didn't, they would starve, as they were rapidly running out of cash and supplies.

If they got the unwanted attention, it could make their work more difficult and dangerous then it already was.

If they didn't get some cash, they weren't going to have to worry about unwanted attention ever again.

Braig growled and slammed his fist down on the table in his quarters, which made Ienzo look up from his book and frown in annoyance.

"Feeling better?" his first mate asked evenly.

"We need this kill." Braig said as he stood up from his chair and began to pace.

"But it could make things difficult for us." Ienzo said as he laid his book down on the table.

Braig paced a bit more, and then: "Fuck it, let's do it."


	8. Enchantment

**8. Enchantment**

Braig sat huddled under the windows of one of the local taverns and listened to the gummi ship crews as they went about their business.. They walked through the town, bought souvenirs for themselves and their families, and traded stories with anyone willing to listen.

Braig found their stories boring though. No, his favorite part came after dark. On certain nights, other gummi ship crews came in, rougher and meaner than those other crews. Rumors floated around about piracy, but no tavern owner would turn away potential business if they weren't causing trouble and had money to spend. So Braig hunched down in the shadows outside one of their favored watering holes and listened as their voices drifted through the open windows. Stories of treasure stolen, battles fought and won, and journeys with only fellow crew and the stars for company filled his imagination, and Braig wanted in.


	9. Dancer

**9. Dancer**

Loud drunken laughter flowed over Braig as he leaned back in his chair and took a deep swig from the tankard in his hand. Across the table, Ienzo drank deeply from his glass of wine, and Braig allowed himself a moment to relax. One turned 35 only once in their life after all. His remaining officers were seated at tables around them, forming a protective ring, while the rest of the crew was scattered about the tavern.

Braig banged his tankard on the table and wiped the foam from his mouth. "Well, Ienzo, you arranged this party. What's on the list for entertainment?"

Ienzo set his empty glass down and smirked as he refilled it. "Oh, I think you'll appreciate it." Four shapely, scantily clad women came into the room then, and Braig grinned widely as they began to dance for him.

Best birthday present ever.


	10. Excuse

**10. Excuse**

"Just give me one." Braig hissed as he placed the barrel of his gun against the trembling man's forehead "Give me an excuse to pull the trigger." Braig smiled in satisfaction as the man cowered in front of him. "Did you honestly think you would get by with it? Did you really believe that I would let it go? As if. You were warned of the rules when you signed up: you betray me, and I destroy you."

"Please Slasher," the man pleaded "I'll take what's comin' to me, but spare my family. They didn't do nothin' wrong."

Braig smiled again and gestured to the burning house. "Too late."

"You bastard!" The man jumped to his feet, and Braig pulled the trigger.

The body slumped to the ground, and Braig looked over at Ienzo with a grin. "He gave me an excuse."


	11. Inspiration

**A/N: This is a continuation of Echantment.**

**OOOOOO**

**11. Inspiration**

Fifteen year old Braig perched outside the tavern and listened. It was well after dark, and his parents were going to kill him when he got home, but he didn't care. The conversations that flowed from within fascinated him and filled his mind with visions of sailing the stars, free and unbound. He could just picture himself as the captain of his own ship, answering to no one but himself and taking whatever he wanted. None of the "Behave, Braig!", "Do as you're told, Braig.", "Stay out of trouble, Braig.". Oh no, he would do what he wanted, not what everyone else wanted. Of course, his parents claimed that they only wanted what was best for him. As if! Only Braig knew what was best for Braig; his parents could go to hell for all he cared.

He decided then; he was going to be a pirate.


	12. Move

**A/N: Continuation of Enchantment and Inspiration**

**OOOOO**

**12. Move**

A hand seized him by the hair and dragged him to his feet.

"Lookie here!" cackled a voice behind him "An eavesdropper! Should we show him what we does to eavesdroppers?"

"I say we cut off his ears." said another voice, and sixteen year old Braig felt real fear settle about his heart. Who knew that the pirates wouldn't take kindly to him listening to them talk?

"I say we cuts out his tongue so can't tells no one what we said." said a third voice.

"We will do none of those things." said a fourth voice, and it was so cold Braig swore that his breath misted in front of him. "He is native to this world, so harming him would be bad for business." He stepped in front of Braig and smirked. "He'll come with us. We could use another swab."


	13. Shades of Grey

**A/N: I've noticed something about the word counts. The Doc Manager is giving me different word counts than Open Office. When writing this one, I noticed that adding a period and qutoation marks at the end of the last sentence added to the word count. Since I have no way of easily counting the words myself, don't be surprised if the word counts are off somewhat. I'll try to keep them within the limit of the challenge, but if Open Office cannot count, there's not much I can do about it. **

**OOOOOO**

**13. Shades of Grey**

Braig swallowed heavily. "But that's murder, Captain."

Behind him the rest of the crew laughed derisively, and the Captain gave him a hard look, which made him repress a shiver.

"Are you refusing to do your part, swab?" the Captain asked quietly.

"N.. no, sir!" Braig stammered "But why must we kill the crew?"

"If someone were to try and take this ship, would you fight to protect her?"

"To the death, sir."

"There is your answer. They will not give their ship, so they must die." He waved the rest of the crew to make ready, and he began to follow them, but he stopped and turned to look at Braig. "There is no good or evil in piracy, Braig. We do what we must, with no regard to what others may think. The only important thing is the prize."


	14. Burn

**14. Burn**

Braig watched as the boarding party swung back aboard, and Ienzo walked up to him. "All crew have returned, Captain."

"Has the loot been brought aboard?"

"Yes, sir."

"What of the other crew?"

"Some were willing -" Ienzo smirked. "- to join us. The rest have been taken care of."

"Her captain?"

Ienzo smirked again and glanced back at the captured ship. "He's in no shape to object."

"Did you actually kill him this time?"

"That would be telling, sir."

"Very well, you have your orders."

"Yes, sir."

Ienzo turned and began shouting orders to the crew, and Braig turned away as they set the ship that they had captured aflame. He walked quietly back to his quarters as the boatswain began to steer their ship away. He could hear the other captain screaming over the crackling of the flames as he did so.


	15. Blueberry

**15. Blueberry**

Being the lowest ones on the totem pole didn't give one many privileges, and that meant being the last one to get fed at mealtimes. Since Ienzo was much younger and growing still, the captain insisted that he get his food before Braig, somtimes leaving Braig very little to himself. The captain made sure that his two cabin boys didn't starve, but he claimed that missing a meal off and on wouldn't hurt Braig any.

Braig stared down at the empty plates: they had gotten supplies from a nearby world, and he had been looking forward to having something fresh for once. Sighing in defeat, he began to scrub the dishes and ignored his stomach's growls.

Once they were in their hammocks for the night, Ienzo took something out of his pocket and handed it to him.

It was a blueberry muffin, slightly squished.


	16. Salty

**16. Salty**

"What's this?" Braig asked as Ienzo handed him the bar of blue ice cream and sat down beside him.

"C'mon Braig," Ienzo said and bit into his own bar "Don't tell me that you've been away from Radiant Garden for so long that you've forgotten Sea Salt Ice Cream?" He looked at it for a moment and smiled faintly. "Even and I used to eat this all the time. Ansem was fond of it too."

"Did you go to Radiant Garden to get this? You know the rule."

"Relax, there's another world that makes and sells it. I got it from there. Now, are you going to eat it or stare at it?"

"Fine," Braig bit into his ice cream and cracked a small smile despite himself at the salty sweet flavor. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Ienzo smiled again. "That it does."


	17. Wink

**17. Wink**

She was a pretty one, Braig noted, with long red hair and bright blue-green eyes. Her flawless skin was the color of cream, and her skimpy dress allowed him to get a good look at her shapely body. She wasn't one of the street walkers that catered to pirates like him, which meant if he wanted her, he would have to take her by force, but damn, if _that_ didn't ruin the experience. It was hard to have a good time with the girl either trying to scream through his hand or lying petrified with fear under him.

Holy shit, did she just wink at him? He looked at her, and she smiled and winked again with her come hither eyes. Hot damn, that was enough of an invitation for him. He stood up and began to walk towards her, and she smiled.

Oh _hell_ yes.


	18. Serendipity

**18. Serendipity**

Braig grinned as his crew looted the ship for her valuable cargo. He and Ienzo had been in a deep discussion on where to find their next target, when he had ordered a course change. Less than an hour later, they had come across the fully loaded cargo ship, an easy target for them.

"Don't you have the luck." Ienzo remarked as they left the burning wreck behind them. Braig dictated course and speed to the helmsman before he grinned again

"Don't I?"

Not long after they encountered another cargo ship, which they made short work of, and again, Braig dictated the course and speed to the helmsman. Two hours later, the found a third ship. Once they were done with her, their holds were groaning with the weight of the loot they had caught.

"You _do_ have the luck." Ienzo said as they celebrated their new wealth.


	19. Addiction

**A/N: After uploading this chapter, it showed a word count of 140 words. I previewed it, didn't change anything, and hit save - and the word count jumped by five words. Seriously, so it looks as though ff. net cannot count. On the other hand though, I checked the word count in an earlier chapter in Open Office, and it said 147 words. I added a period and quotation marks to the end of a sentence, and the word count went up by one. *throws hands in the air* I give up. I'm just gonig to go by ff .net's counter and hope for the best. **

**19. Addiction**

Braig frowned at his Master Gunner, who was lying in his hammock, mumbling to things that only he could see and twitching like he was being eaten alive by something.

He looked over at the ship's doctor. "Well?"

"Opium withdraw, Captain." the doctor said.

"So he's an opium addict."

"Yes, sir."

"Can he recover?"

"In time, sir, but he'll always be an addict, and he could easily fall under it's sway again."

Braig growled. "I have no use for addicts, Doctor."

"Understood, Captain."

"Make it look as though the withdraw killed him."

"Yes, sir."

Braig turned on his heel and walked out of the crew quarters to tell the Gunner's Mate of his promotion, and he ignored the sounds of the Master Gunner dying behind him. One of his most capable people, lost to a worthless addiction. Pathetic.


	20. Transformation

**20. Transformation**

"What. The. FUCK!"

Normally Ienzo would have rolled his eyes at his language, but his first mate was too worried about his own problems. Those being that they, and the rest of the raiding party, had turned into mermen.

Fucking mermen!

"Whose idea was it to stage a raid on this world?" he demanded, and part of him found it strange that he could talk underwater.

"It was Heckler's idea, Cap'n." one of the others said "He said this world had riches ripe for the taking."

Braig growled. "He better hope we find them then. If not, then this will be the last mistake he ever makes."

"Looks like the welcoming committee is approaching, Captain." Ienzo said evenly, and Braig growled again.

"Remember," he said "Kill only if you must. Find the goods first, THEN we can spare a few locals."

"Yes, sir!"


	21. Underwater

**21. Underwater**

Braig tried to get the hand of having a tail and fins, but damn, it was such a bitch. He would have pitied the world's denizens if it wasn't for the fact they were wealthy as all fucking hell. Who knew fish needed so much gold and jewels?

That didn't stop Braig and his raiding party from helping themselves to it. No one would miss it after all. Hell, some of the chests were so slime coated that it was obvious that they hadn't been opened in years if not longer.

A harpoon sailed by his head, and it was then that Braig realized another huge downside to being underwater. He pulled out his favored pistol and fired at the mermen that had attacked him, only to get a cloud of bubbles from the barrel.

"Aw fuck, run away boys! Back to the ship!"


	22. Prince

**22. Prince**

Metal clashed and sparks flew as Braig and the pink haired man across from him traded blows. He had never seen someone fight with a scythe before, but he admitted that his opponent wielded it skillfully, like an extension of himself.

"Never expected a fop like you to be good with a weapon." he said casually, as if he wasn't locked in a duel to the death with the world's lord.

"My parents tried their hardest to prevent it, I might add." the prince – Lumaria? Lumaira? What was his name again? - counted easily.

"You still live with your mommy and daddy?" Braig said with a laugh, before he had to dodge a swing that would have taken his head off otherwise.

"Since I am ruling in my father's stead while he recovers from the poison I slipped him, then yes."

"I think I like you, Prince."


	23. Black and White

**23. Black and White**

The place was giving him a headache.

"Have these people never heard of the fucking rainbow?" Braig growled as he looked around at the washed out landscape ahead, which only made his head throb worse. There was no answering snarky comment: Ienzo was off elsewhere, looking for a new ship for them seeing that their last one had gotten shot all to hell during an engagement with another world's military the previous day.

The cityscape sprawled out in front of them was a blinding white in the bright sunlight, with black roofs, window frames, and doors. Even the streets were black and white. There were no other colors, none at all.

"You there! Halt!" came a voice, and he winced against the blinding white to see multiple guardsmen of some kind in front of them. "You're wearing forbidden colors! You're going to have to come with us!"


	24. Past

**24. Past**

The ship groaned as they eased her through the highways between the worlds. They normally preferred to stay out of the way, but with their ship is such poor condition, sticking close to the main shipping lanes was safer.

Still, that didn't stop Braig and Ienzo from enjoying a bottle in the captain's quarters.

"You know, Ienzo," Braig said easily "You never told me how you ended up in this business."

Ienzo shrugged and looked up from his book. "Never came up."

"Care to share?"

"Nothing to share really. When Ansem pursued the pirates that took you, they threatened to burn the city to the ground if he didn't back away and offer restitution. I was was the restitution that he offered."

"Chicken shit bastard."

Ienzo shrugged again. "Sometimes I miss Even, but I rather enjoy this life, so it worked out well for me."


	25. Haunted

**A/N: Quarter of the way there... Woo.**

**OOOOOO**

**25. Haunted**

She was beautiful. They had finally found another ship to replace the derelict wreck that their old one had become. She was spacious, she handled well, she was absolutely gorgeous and perfect in every way.

Yet, there was something.. not right with her.

It started with a feeling of uneasiness, the sense they were intruding, unwelcome. Things began to break down. Then a few of the crew were injured in freak accidents that couldn't be explained. This was followed by a creeping sense of fear. Braig had heard of ships that hated their crews, but he knew somehow that that wasn't the case here. There was something else at work.

Then they learned that, years before, the ship had undergone a violent mutiny, during which her captain was murdered by the crew.

Braig looked at Ienzo. "Start the search for another ship, immediately."

**OOOOOO**

**A/N: In maritime tradition, the death of the captain at sea is long believed to curse a ship, especially if he was murdered. Just ask the passengers and crew of the SS Morro Castle. Mere hours after her captain died of an apparent heart attack, the ship was engulfed by a devastating fire that killed ¼ of those on board. One of the surviving crew members even recalled another crew member saying after they heard of the captain's death: "The captain's dead. Ship's gonna sink tonight." Sailors are notoriously superstitious, and the Morro Castle's call sign is still assigned to her by the FCC today, preventing it from ever being used again.**

**Creepy, isn't it?**


	26. Halloween

**26. Halloween**

Braig couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Let me get this straight," he said "Our ship is haunted and cursed; you know this, and you still are willing to pay us a fortune for her?"

"Absolutely!" the tall skeleton in the black suit said cheerfully "I think it'll be perfect in this year's Halloween."

Braig could hear muffled laughter from the crew, but Ienzo silenced them with a look.

"I'll even loan you another so you and your crew can go on your way." the skeleton continued, and Braig had to fight to keep this smirk off of his face. If the idiot was willing to spend the munny, who was he to object?  
"I would like to store cargo here for the time being, if possible?"

"Absolutely!"

"I think that we can do business then."

"Agreed."

They shook hands on the deal.


	27. Eventually

**27. Eventually**

Braig stood on the prow as the ship sailed through the Lanes Between. Around him, the stars glittered like diamonds scattered across black velvet, and the solar breeze brushed across his face. It had been only three months since he had been taken from Radiant Garden by force, leaving everyone and everything he had ever known behind.

And he was loving every minute of it.

The work was grueling, the food sometimes sucked (when he got any, that is.) and the hours were long, but he was thriving, and he couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Eventually, someday, he would have his own ship, his own crew, and he would take his own plunder, and rob whomever he chose. If he closed his eyes, he could envision all of it. Maybe he would even have Ienzo as one of his officers?

Eventually, he would have it all.


	28. Redesign

**A/N: This is a continuation of Black and White.**

**OOOOOO**

**28. Redesign**

Braig and his landing party stared at the guards, also dressed in only black and white, that were standing in front of them. He then let his eyes drift to their weapons, short spears and lances that were in no way long enough to reach them.

He grinned. "Do we now? I'd say that we don't have to do a damned thing that we don't want to. Wouldn't you agree, boys?"

The members of the landing party behind him chuckled, and the guards frowned.

"Get them." their superior officer said, and the guards rushed forwards, but before they could get close, they were mowed down in a hail of gunfire. Red blood splattered against the ground and buildings, bringing some much needed color to the blinding white landscape.

"Take everything valuable." Braig ordered "Kill any that try to stop you. Let's paint this town red."


	29. Bouquet

**29. Bouquet**

Braig stared at the table in front of him, or more specifically, he stared at the object that was sitting on the table.

On a pirate ship, space was at a premium, so there was very little in the way of decoration outside of a few pictures that were hung up by bunks by the members of the crew that had families. So the large bouquet of cheery spring flowers sitting in a fancy vase on the table was so out of place that Braig didn't know what to make of it.

"What the hell is this?" he asked Ienzo, who looked just as bewildered.

"One of the boys brought them aboard with the last cache from Prince Lumaria. Said they were from him."

"Why the hell would that peacock give me flowers?"

"Hell if I know. That man is strange; who knows what they mean."


	30. Wedding

**A/N: Darkest, nastiest chapter in the fic so far ahead. Just as a warning...**

**OOOOOO**

**30. Wedding**

Braig loved weddings, especially the weddings of wealthy couples. The food, the wine, the music, the women, the riches waiting to be stolen. It was all good for him.

The sex was also great, even if it took a bit of _restraint _to get it. He ignored the creaking of ropes and the muffles cries as he took his pleasure, though he had to pause to move the dress out of the way again. Maybe he should have cut the damned thing off first.

He could vaguely hear screams, cries, and gunfire through the closed door as his crew took care of the rest of the wedding party, but he wasn't worried about being interrupted. The groom lying dead outside the door would act as a nice deterrent. Nearby he could hear Ienzo having fun with the maid of honor, and he grinned again.

God, he loved weddings.


	31. Wandering

**31. Wandering**

"Remind me again how you convinced me to join you." Ienzo asked as they walked into yet another tavern.

"Because you want to have your own ship and crew as much as I do, so we agreed to leave together to try our luck."

"Oh yes, too bad that luck hasn't been any good in the week since we left. How many worlds have we visited, trying to find a crew crazy enough to join us?"

"Admit it, you like wandering between worlds like this."

"Correction. I _liked_ it – when we were on a ship and had meals and a place to sleep."

"I didn't hear you complaining when we visited that one oddball world the other day. I distinctly heard you talking about taking specimens and photographs."

"What can I say? I was raised by a scientist until Ansem sold me."


	32. Free

**32. Free**

The stars glided past them as they cruised through the Lanes Between. The deck lights bathed him in a soft glow as he stood on the prow and felt the solar breeze on his face and heard it whistle through the rigging.

It had taken some work, but they had found a ship, and then they had found a crew. Two days later, they had made their first catch, which had netted them enough munny to pay the crew, buy supplies, and still have a tidy sum for themselves. He was now a captain, and Ienzo was his first mate and second-in-command.

No longer were they bound to follow someone else's rules. No longer did they had to do as another captain told them. They went where they wanted. They made their own rules. The universe was theirs to explore and loot.

They were free.


	33. Ball

**33. Ball**

"Doesn't it feel good to be home?" Braig asked with a grin as they watched the dancing crowd below.

Ienzo smirked in response, but he said nothing as they waited for the signal that said that the rest of the landing party was in position. Normally they avoided returning to Radiant Garden, but the annual charity ball was too good to pass up. There would be plenty of wealthy people in attendance, with gold, jewels, and munny to be had.

Below them they could see Ansem dancing with some woman, and close to him was Even. Then on the other side of the massive, domed room, came a small pinprick of light from one of the many small decorative depressions in the dome, like the one they were watching from behind.

"That's the signal." Ienzo said "Shall we?"

Braig pulled his pistol and grinned again. "We shall."


	34. Brothers

**34. Brothers**

Braig had many brother's and sisters – he was the youngest of seven – but he hadn't bonded with any of them. They were all too worried about pleasing their parents and making friends, and being perfect little members of society to worry about him.

Bah!

Ienzo had no siblings, and his parents were long dead. At one time, he had considered Even his father, but those times had ended the instant Ansem had given him over to the pirates.

During their time together on that first ship, the two had forged a bond. At first it was the bond of the two lowest crewmembers on the totem pole, but it strengthened to that of friends.

Now as he watched Ienzo grinning like the Cheshire Cat as he eyed the shapely wench in front of him, he realized it was even stronger. Though they shared no blood, they were brothers.


	35. Puzzle

**35. Puzzle**

"You have one chance to solve my riddle." the strange creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman told them solemnly. "You may back away without answering, but if you try to fight or give an incorrect answer, I will attack. Are you ready?"

Ienzo and Braig looked at the creature, looked at each other, and then in unison, they looked back at their ship behind them, with all of her cannons ready to fire.

They turned back to look at her. "I've got a better idea." Braig said evenly "You see that ship with all those cannons? You let us pass without dealing with your damned riddle, and I won't order my crew to reduce you to a bloody smear. Deal?"

The Sphynx gave them a fearful smile. "That is the correct answer. You may pass."

"That's what I thought you'd say."


	36. Insanity

**36. Insanity**

Braig waited in Xehanort's study for the old coot to make an appearance, and as he waited, he spotted something huddled in dark corner of the room by the door.

The pitiful creature was sitting up, curled into a ball, with its hands tangled up in its long, filthy hair, wearing only a shirt that might have been white at one time, but was now ragged, grungy and worn. As he watched, it rocked itself back and forth, whimpering and muttering incoherently, and bit deeply into its hands, which, if the scarring was anything to go by, was a frequent occurrence.

Xehanort walked in then, and he kicked the pitiful thing hard in the side. It shrieked and began to scramble away on all fours.

"Excuse my pet." the old man said as he sat down "It appears that he needs another lesson in manners. Now, to business."


	37. Trapped

**37. Trapped**

Braig paced back and forth in the tiny space, aware of the expectant eyes of his crew. How the fuck had this happened? He had gone to meet with Xehanort again, and had somehow ended up in a cell in the old fuck's dungeons!

It had been Xehanort's pet. The old bastard had used the sight of it to distract him from the danger creeping up from behind. It hadn't been until a burlap sack had come over his head that he realized that he had been had. Now he paced the cell, bereft of his weapons, while he tried to find a way to get them all out alive.

And kill that old piece of shit while he was at it.

Footsteps approaching the cell made him pause and look up just as a guard approached, carrying Braig's own sword...

… and a keyring on his belt.

Braig smiled.


	38. Joy

**38. Joy**

Escape was pathetically easy. The idiot guard had gloated about having Braig's fine sword to himself, and it had been a simple matter to reach through the bars, grab the moron by the shirt, and yank him forward, smashing his head off the bars. Then he had simply grabbed the keys and let himself and everyone else out. He had also taken great pleasure in taking back his sword and stomping hard on the idiot's neck, snapping it.

They found the rest of the weapons nearby, and Braig grinned. He was free, he had his crew, and his weapons, and Xehanort didn't know it. It was time for the old coot to die.

And he was going to enjoy it.

The entire crew was grinning ear to ear as they made their way out of the dungeons and into the posh house above.


	39. Misery

**39. Misery**

It was the eyes that got to him.

Braig peeked through the partially open door to see the old man, with a belt in his hand, and a strange mix of anger and lust on his face. In front of him, lying on its stomach on a bench with its arms and legs bound to the legs, was his pet. Its back and legs were a bloodied ruin, and tears were running down its dirty face as it cried, It's gray eyes spotted him, locked onto him, and seemed to plead with him for a release from the pain and suffering.

Blood drops flew off the belt as Xehanort brought it down to snap across his pet's bony ass. "Stop your shrieking!" he snarled "You should be used to this by now!"

The pet wailed in pain, and Braig could no longer meet those eyes.

He turned away.


	40. Challenge

**40. Challenge**

He reached up to push the door open, but a voice from behind stopped him and made him turn around.

"Lord Xehanort does not wish to be disturbed." the dark haired man said as he drew his sword.

"I'd say he's already disturbed." Braig replied with an easy grin as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder "Who else but a disturbed loon like him does that to another person?"

"How Lord Xehanort disciplines Eraqus is none of your concern." the man replied "He does not wish to be disturbed."

Behind them, the pet screamed, Xehanort groaned, and Braig repressed a shudder. "What are you going to do about it, hmmm?"

"Are you sure of this, Master Terra?" one of Xehanort's henchman said, and the boy responded by ramming his fist into the man's throat, crushing it.

"I challenge you." he said evenly, pointing his sword at Braig.


End file.
